British Columbia

Vancouver

BC’s sights and experiences include spectacular scenery, cosmopolitan cities and a wide and varied range of activities that highlight BC’s natural environment.”

BC offers an endless wealth of scenic beauty and pastimes within this glorious natural environment. Its mild climate makes the suitable land very fruitful for agriculture and resource extraction such as logging, farming and mining are the economic mainstay of this region. It is the end of the transcontinental railway and the site of many major international ports making trade possible. The geography ranges from sprawling untouched mountain ranges to semi-arid plateaus and deserts to canyons and wine producing regions. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west. The annual mean temperature in populated areas is 12 degrees Celsius. British Columbia boasts 141 ecological Reserves, 35 provincial marine parks, 7 Provincial Heritage Sites, 6 National Historic Sites of Canada, 4 National Parks and 3 National Park Reserves. Bears, cougars, wolves, deer, elk, moose, eagles, dolphins, grey wales among others make comprise some of the more interesting fauna in the region. British Columbia is inhabited by a wonderfully diverse and multicultural population. Since the melting of the glaciers 10,000 years ago aboriginal groups settled in this region. There is a strong Native American heritage evident throughout and Chinese and Punjabi are the second most common languages due to the large Asian population. It truly is a remarkable part of the world. There is so much to do it’s hard to know where to begin. Please follow this link if you are interested in detailed information on things to do in British Columbia.

Vancouver is the 5th best city in the world to live in according to the Mercer Surveys. With gorgeous scenic views, a mild climate and warm and welcoming people (I can testify to this) it truly is a place you could move to in a heartbeat. It is a very ethnically diverse city with 52% speaking a first language other than English. Located on the western half of the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver is bounded to the north by English Bay and the Burrard Inlet and to the south by the Fraser River. East lies the city of Burnaby and the Vancouver is sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by the Strait of Georgia. Its population is approximately 603,000. Vancouver has a moderate, oceanic climate. Protected by the mountains and warmed by the Pacific Ocean currents, Vancouver is one of the warmest cities in Canada. It has a reputation for rain however being the 9th wettest place in the country. Downtown comprises the city’s primary business district but boasts many arts, entertainment venues, sports venues and residential areas. Kitsilano boasts one of the best city beaches in the world and is a hub for organic eating. Granville Island a peninsula located down from Downtown deserves particular mention for its wealth of arts and culture, food markets and marina. Surrounding Vancouver there is Capilano Suspension Bridge and its Native American culture centre. Grouse Mountain is another must see thanks to its amazing cable car journey to the top which offers breath-taking views of the municipal area. You can even ski while up there if it takes your fancy. Special mention must also go to Stanley Park, a green oasis in the middle of the city. Discover kilometres of trails, beautiful beaches, local wildlife, great restaurants, natural, cultural and historical landmarks, along with many other adventures. It’s a part of the world I have visited and cannot wait to return to. Follow this link for some more info on the city!

Winter sports are well represented also in the colder northern parts of British Columbia. Whistler in particular is a hub of such activity. Located 2 hours north of Vancouver, this beautiful area played host to much of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter games. The village itself is located right between the Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains in the Coast Range. There is a vast wealth of arts & culture, nightlife, events, winter sports, shopping, dining, epic skiing, snowboarding, golfing and amenities to be found in Whistler. “Whistler Village is big enough to have all the amenities expected of a world-class resort, yet small enough for you to feel its unique mountain culture and distinctive hospitality.”

Detailed skiing information about the mountains for the purpose of winter sports can be found at this link. Please use the following link to get you to the fantastic official tourism video There’s Something About Whistler. I’m very confident you’ll agree that it’s a wondrous place.It also boasts four medical clinics and a health centre. Imagine practising your sports physiotherapy here!

As experts in physical activity and exercise prescription this is the information we want to know. The mild climate makes outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, sailing and gliding very accessible. Canada is sports mad just like here however there’s a different taste in that part of the world. Ice Hockey is a national pastime, being the most popular and successful international sport of the country. It is also the national winter sport, and the Stanley Cup, the premiere professional ice hockey trophy of the National Hockey League originated in Canada. Canada has 7 teams within this competition. According to Quant Hockey, Canadians comprise over 50% of all players within the regular NHL season, this number was previously over 90% in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Lacrosse is the official summer sport and is integral to the native culture (its origins arising from indigenous populations) and to the tens of thousands that play it regularly. Canadian Football is also a popular pastime. Its rules however differ slightly from its American cousin. Rugby, soccer, basketball and baseball among others are also played in Canada regularly. Statistics from the Canadian Government list the 10 most popular sports as golf, ice hockey, swimming, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, skiing (downhill and alpine), cycling and tennis.

The country also has a long term personal athletic development programme in place called Canadian Sport for Life aimed at developing sporting prowess and enjoyment of physical activity throughout the life span.

Getting to British Columbia is very easy. A recent check on Sky scanner provided flights to Vancouver international starting at €400 with Aer Lingus. However there are over 200 airports within this province so the options are somewhat endless. Vancouver International is the second biggest international gate on the Western coast of the continent. Be warned newbies to the world of flying though as a flight can take up to 9 hours. Personally I can recommend Air Canada having used their services. They are a top notch airline.

Whistler

Sport, recreation and travel

British Columbia - The Facts

Location: Westernmost of Canada's 10 provinces. Only province in Canada to experience a "West Coast special": ski and golf in the same day
Population: 4.5 million (concentrated in Vancouver, population 2.3 million, and Victoria, population 368,000). Canada's third most populated province (after Ontario and Quebec)
Capital City: Victoria on Vancouver Island
History: Entered Canadian confederation in 1871
Total Area: 944,735km sq/364,764mi sq
Highest Point: Fairweather Mountain, 4,663m/15,299ft
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean, sea level
Longest River: Fraser River, 1,368km/850mi
Largest Lake: Williston Lake (reservoir), 1,761km sq/680mi sq
Largest Island: Vancouver Island, 32,137km sq/12,408mi sq
Provincial Flower: Pacific dogwood
Provincial Tree: Western red cedar
Provincial Bird: Steller's jay
Provincial Gemstone: Jade
Provincial Motto: "Splendour without diminishment"